After dealing with protests from the opposition party, the Pakistani government now faces a potential agitation led by Fazal-ur-Rehman, leader of the religious Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) party. Rehman is pushing for the government to approve a bill that would amend the registration process for religious seminaries. The bill, which was introduced in October, has faced resistance and objections from President Asif Ali Zardari and the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s government.
Historically, seminaries in Pakistan were registered under the Societies Registration Act of 1860, leading to concerns about lack of oversight over curriculum, activities, and funding. Following the 9/11 attack and the launch of the “war on terror”, the government sought to reform seminaries for national security reasons. In 2019, the PTI government reclassified seminaries as educational institutions under the Ministry of Education, leading to the registration of over 18,000 seminaries.
The JUIF’s proposed legislation would shift registration responsibilities back to district deputy commissioners and remove oversight by the Ministry of Education. The government has raised objections to the bill, stating that education-related issues should remain under the Education Ministry’s purview.
The debate over religious seminaries and their control is seen as a matter of national security, especially with concerns about unregistered seminaries and unknown sources of funding. The government’s handling of the issue could impact its credibility and political landscape. Ultimately, the resolution of the issue may depend on the approval of Pakistan’s powerful military establishment.
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